Dan's Favorite Holiday
by Jadem1122
Summary: It's Valentines day and Dan strives to make this a special evening for  Natalie and for Diana. This contains some Father Daughter fluff and just overall fluff. One shot. Plz R


**SO THIS IS JUST SOME NEXT TO NORMAL FLUFF. I'VE BEEN OBSESSED WITH THE PLAY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME NOW AND DECIDED TO WRITE A LIL FIC. DAN IS AWESOME ENOUGH SAID. I KNOW I WONT DO HIS CHARACTER JUSTICE BUT AGAIN THIS IS FANFICTION ISNT IT? ANYWAY JUST SOME VALENTINES DAY FLUFF!**

Dan's Pov

Today was Valentines Day.

And Dan Goodman had absolutely no idea on what he was going to do.

It was actually not a question on whether he had found the right gift for his wife. The problem was if she would even acknowledge what today was. The new medicine she was taking didn't seem to be working. Yesterday Diana had had another 'episode' as Dan liked to call it.

Her delusions of their son Gabriel.

Their _dead_ son.

He knew that she wasn't over his death. That much was certain. She was a mother, grieving over their lost son. All the things they would never do together, the memories they would of created.

Those things would never happen.

But there was a little girl at home. Their daughter, who was alive. Their little six year old girl who Diana refused to acknowledge even existed.

Dan knew that Diana wasn't over Gabe, but still that was no excuse to just ignore there other child. With Diana's negligence Dan Goodman tried his best to make up for it. He would spend hours playing dolls with Natalie, forced to watch Disney princess movies over and over again, attending tea parties with stuffed animals, making lunches, helping Natalie tie her shoelaces.

He did all that stuff to fill the role of which Dianna was supposed to play.

He had to be both a mother and a Father to Natalie, since Diana wasn't interested in playing the role. Although Dan didn't mind. It was never a burden to take care of Natalie. She was his little princess and always would be.

And so as he headed on home from work, he made sure to bring home a bouquet of roses, they were always Diana's favorite. The tennis bracelet which was carefully hidden away at home was the gift that he was going to present to her later on tonight after dinner.

Dan could do nothing but pray that the night would go by smoothly, without one of Diana's delusions.

Sometimes he thought about leaving her. The many times that they fought Diana suggested the very same thing. It would be easier that way, just pick up the child and leave. It was clear that Diana was mentally unstable and also unfit to be Natalie's mother and although ashamed to admit it, Dan had considered the option a few times.

The stress from home was just too much to handle at some times. But all and all Dan had made a promise to his wife and he would abide by his vows until the day he died. "In sickness and in health" as the preacher said and so Dan would stick by Dianna and do just that.

"Happy Valentines Day." Dan greeted his wife, kissing her softly on the cheek as he entered the small purple house, handing over the flowers he watched in relief as she blushed, a smile spreading over her face when she inhaled the sweet aroma.

"Thank you." She replied, opening the cabinets rummaging around for a vase to put them in. "Happy Valentines day to you too. I hope you got me something special this time, and not another one of those cheap tennis bracelets again." Diana warned.

'Fuck' Dan cursed silently to himself as he reassured Diana that it wasn't before trudging into the living room to sulk. Mulling over what he was going to give her while switching on the television to a sports channel.

Before halftime started, he heard the familiar sound of Natalie entering the house. She was happy, overjoyed with all of the Valentine cards that she had revived from school. She came bouncing into the living room, jumping up and down with glee.

"Daddy look at all the cards I got!" Natalie exclaimed, fishing around in her small pink backpack dumping all the contents out on the floor, she then held up a pink heart adorned with gold glitter and tons of sequence.

Dan examined the gaudy card in distaste as Natalie then opened it and read from it. "Dear Natalie." She said, a huge smile lit on her face. "Roses are red, Violets are blue, my name is Henry, and I'm perfect for you." Natalie giggled as she closed the letter. "He asked me to be his Valentine today Daddy. Isn't that_"

"I hope you told him no." Dan stated firmly, cutting the child off. He didn't like the card one bit. He knew the kid Henry and immediately disliked him from the very beginning. Always following his daughter around and being overly nice to her.

It was clear that the boy had a crush on her and he hated it.

Why couldn't the boy believe that every girl had cooties like all the other kids in elementary school? And why did it have to be his daughter that he liked? "Remember what I told you Natalie? If that Henry so much as touches you kick him where it hurts. Got it?"

The six year old girl rolled her eyes and payed little attention to the overprotective Fathers directions. Suddenly Natalie strode out of the room only to return back later with construction paper, glue, scissors and markers in hand. She sat down and began to draw a picture while Dan resumed watching his football game.

"What are you making?" He asked, peering over her shoulder to make out the colorful scribbles.

"A card for mommy." She replied.

Dan sighed and ran a finger through his messy hair, contemplating his ideas before finally crouching down so he sat across from Natalie. "You know what? Hand me a piece of paper I'm going to make a card for your Mother too." Dan was no artist but after all as the saying goes it was the thought that counts.

"Did you forget to buy her a present?" Natalie asked, too inquisitive for her own good. Dan chuckled to himself. "No I didn't, but a homemade card is a bit more special then what you can buy out of a store. Don't you think so?"

"Uh huh." She responded, too interested with her drawing to pay attention.

After many minutes of hard work Dan finished his creation. In fancy lettering he wrote 'I love you' and then wrote a very detailed poem about the day they first met. He was satisfied with his work and was deeply proud of it, he was sure it would make up for the jewelry that Diana would immediately hate.

"Look at mine." Natalie demanded, shoving her letter into her Fathers hand.

"Its beautiful." He replied, studying the drawing. It was a portrait of the family. He could barely make it out but it came from Natalie and so it was a very special gift. "Do you think Mom will like it?" She asked, chewing on her bottom lip glancing at Dan nervously.

He scooped her up in his arms and tickled her unmercifully she giggled and squealed in delight. "Of course she will. What kind of a question is that?" Dan asked a bright smile on his face.

"You guys come and eat." Diana said from the kitchen.

Dan readjusted Natalie so she was resting on his shoulder as he made his way into the kitchen. He walked around the kitchen a few times, seeing as Natalie was not satisfied with the short piggy back ride and so she then tugged on Dans hair in attempt to make him go faster.

He was exhausted and so Dan plopped down onto his chair and devoured the meal set before him. Natalie informed her Mother all about her day even adding in the card from Henry much to Dan's dismay.

After dinner, each family member presented the other with a gift. Diana gave Dan a tie and in return Dan handed each of the gifts to his wife. Not surprisingly she preferred the card over the 300 dollar bracelet.

When Natalie handed over her card, Diana responded by showing Natalie the maternal love that her daughter craved. Pulling her into a hug Diana whispered into the young girls ear that it was her favorite present.

The scene was heartwarming for Dan to watch. This was indeed Dan's favorite Valentines day.

**AWW AND SO THATS THE ENDING, I HOPE THAT YOU LIKED IT AND SO PLEASE DO REVIEW! OH YEAH HAPPY VALENTINES DAY BTW I HOPE YOU FIND YOUR HENRY! **


End file.
